The GAA has confirmed that the replay of the All Ireland Football Final will take place on Saturday October 1st at 5pm in Croke Park.
As has become accepted practice since the run of replays in the Hurling Championship from 2012 to 2014 a reduction in ticket prices has also been put into effect with stand tickets coming down from €80 to €60 and terrace tickets from €40 to €30.
In addition an unspecified number of €10 juvenile tickets will also be released through the County boards and clubs of the competing counties.
The reduction in prices will trim around €2 million from the bottom line benefit for the Association but is the right thing for fans who have already been financially pressed to follow their team through the season.
Inevitably though there has been criticism because the reduction is not as great as it was in 2014 for the Hurling final.
The concept of inflation, accepted when it comes to other areas of life is left at the door when discussion of ticket prices comes into play, which must be frustrating for officials but they keep it hidden well.
Review
“We review our ticket prices every year,” said GAA spokesman Alan Milton.
“We don’t feel that €60 is an exorbitant price to ask for the privilege of watching an All-Ireland final replay.
“Our prices compare very favourably with other sports and events, particularly when you consider tickets for a friendly game between Celtic and Barcelona at the Aviva Stadium this year cost €60.”
There will be no tickets on public sale and distribution of the additional allocation previously needed for the counties in the Minor Final will go straight to the clubs in Dublin and Mayo.
Allocation
All counties get an allocation which generally end up in the hands of fans of the counties in action though in true community fashion that is generally through favours and friends at face value rather than through any organised ticket touting.
Tickets are all numbered and can be traced back to individuals, a self policing factor in ensuring that touting is less prevalent than at other major events.
13,000 of the tickets are reserved for corporate supporters, premium level tickets and boxes, as well as for purchase by members of the Oireachtas under fairly strict guidelines, as was discovered last week.
The rest go out and about to fans who are generally involved in clubs, taking teams on wet Wednesday nights in the winter. It’s a system that works, so long as you are one of the lucky ones of course.
